In-text plate (page 83) from Pasiphaé: Chant de Minos (Les Crétois)
Henri Matisse
French, 1869–1954
1943–44, published 1944
A linoleum cut printed within a page of Henri Matisse’s illustrated book Pasiphaé that pairs a bold black decorative band and red initial blocks with the book’s French text.
What most strikes the eye is the stark contrast between the dense black ornamental frieze at the top and the vertical row of warm red initial squares punctuating the left margin, all set against generous cream-white paper where the spare, elegant type seems to float.
Executed late in Matisse’s career, these linoleum cuts compress imagery into decorative, calligraphic essentials and demonstrate his innovative fusion of color, form, and typography that helped reshape modern book design.
Medium
Linoleum cut from an illustrated book with 51 linoleum cuts (including wrapper)
Dimensions
composition: 2 1/2 x 6 1/2" (6.4 x 16.5 cm); page: 12 5/8 × 9 3/4" (32 × 24.8 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
The Louis E. Stern Collection
Accession
926.1964.25
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
